Le Ciel
by Ashurato
Summary: LutherFayt. Eyes that don't know impurity look up at me, white wings extended. Creation gives existence to Destruction, spawning obsession. When Destruction is seized from his hands, Luther will neither forgive nor forget.
1. Creation

Le Ciel

by Asurahime

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Part I : Creation

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**Error.**

**Error.**

System overload.

Luther sighed tiredly as he leaned back on his chair and ran slim fingers through his saffron-colored hair. Again. It happened again. The system for the Eternal Sphere had crashed for the third time that day. There was too much information being created in a limited amount of drive space; thus, none of the memory was being recycled and errors multiplied.

''Luther, are you all right?" asked Blair as she stepped into her brother's Workspace. She set a cup of tea and sandwiches on a small glass table away from the computers before approaching him. "What a stupid question. You haven't stopped working for three days!"

''Blair," he smiled, extracting himself from the computers and grabbing a sandwich. "I can't stop now. If I do, I don't know how far the problem can spread. It's like a runaway virus which keeps on mutating because so many files are left unprotected. No anti-virus program in existence can possibly handle a task such as this one."

Ruffling Luther's hair, Blair smiled affectionately. She should have known that despite what she said, nothing could stop a determined Luther. "Perhaps that's because you haven't tried creating one yet."

He shook his head in reply. "We currently only have the Alteration system. We are going to need a much stronger Destruction system to accomplish that task. Although I may be able to do that, I can't remove myself from the Eternal Sphere data system right now. No one else knows the system as well as I do."

''Except me, you silly little boy!" interjected his sister, mock-offended that Luther would think so lightly of her ability. "I have been there since the original input of the Eternal Sphere program and I know it enough—if not just as well—as you. The only thing is that I don't have the genius in creating original programs that you do. I supplement. I am incapable of formulating the proper patterns and codes to create a program as complicated as that."

Luther almost blushed in embarrassment. He of all people knew of Blair's immaculately responsible nature. The Eternal Sphere would be infinitely more chaotic without the stability of the Firewall Blair had implemented. Little was known about the truth that although Luther was considered the "Owner" of Sphere 211, the real backbone of the operation was his sister. "But the old Destruction system is still ineffective as of--"

A secretive smile caused an upward turning of the edges of Blair's lips. Her brother was too narrow-minded sometimes. "I may not be able to create systems, but there is no system I cannot hack into. There is also no outdated system I cannot upgrade." She carefully took out a disk from her pocket and placed it on Luther's hand.

''This is the Destruction program?" asked Luther, studying the disk as its surface broke the light into a spectrum of colors. "How did you--"

Blair winked as she started out of the Workspace. "I can't tell you all my secrets. However, that program is far from complete. I could only patch up the framework of the codex to make it useable. You have to build the entire thing from scratch, so don't expect an easy job."

Luther smiled and stood up to return to his computers. "It never is."

''I will give you the upgrade for the Administrator's character in a couple of days. It was quite a challenge to improve the existing data, but I managed."

''Thank you, Blair."

Raising a hand in farewell, Blair sent one last message. "Be careful of what you create, Luther. Be careful about making a program you will not be able to control. And log off. I need to be able to log in as the Administrator from my own system."

''And if I don't?"

''Then I'll be forced to hack into your system indefinitely."

----------

Sweat trickled down Luther's pale face as he typed the last few lines of the program. He had been working on the program for almost a year, hypothesizing, implementing, testing, and revising each version. Despite being a prodigy with an extensive knowledge of programming, Luther had gone through hundreds of versions, each slightly better or slightly worse than the one before.

But none of them were perfect. None before this one.

''It's finished," whispered Luther as he took his hands off of the keyboard. "It's finally finished."

He stared in awe of his creation: the long outline of opening and closing tags and orders which took all of his ability to construct. A long year of sleepless nights and endless days. Of frustration and dying hope. Over. Creation begets Destruction. "Such a strong program, perfect in every way but the input ability."

Luther bit the nail of his thumb, eyebrows furrowing in deep thought. The program was complete, but it lacked hardware. It was too massive to fit into a single disk and the outline of the framework did not allow for a breaking point to separate the program in two. It required one anchor, one Manifestation of Destruction to fit in the revolving circles of the Eternal Sphere's mainframe.

''That shouldn't be too difficult, but..." Luther glanced at the revolving mirrors of data surrounding his Workspace and frowned. "It needs a voice-command operating system inscribed with my voice. But it has to be aesthetically pleasing enough to merge with the Eternal Sphere. Blair is a stickler for detail. She will have my head if I just anchor the program on anything. But then what?"

For days, Luther paced across his Workspace. The drafts containing outlines and mere ideas began to pile up next to the computers with the perfect disk in the center, unmoved, untouched since the day it was set down.

A glimmer of light upon a blue-green mirror caught the Owner's attention. Looking up, he saw his reflection staring back at him. The surface of the mirror darkened the color of his blonde hair a deep blue and his light, cyan eyes a darker green. "STOP!"

The Eternal Sphere program ceased its movements at the command of its creator. Luther gestured for the mirror to come towards him and laid a hand on its surface, fascinated by the creature who appeared to be trapped inside. The green eyes looked at him with the same loneliness he felt.

Luther's breath caught as his throat. "Program title."

Blair's programmed voice resounded through the Workspace. "Manifestation." The surface of the mirror shifted and blue-green light began to pour out of it.

''Code name."

''I. S. R. A. F. E. L. "

The edges of Luther's lips lifted into a satisfied smile as he retrieved two disks from his desk. He returned before the mirror and gazed upon his blue-haired reflection. Then, he took the two disks and placed them on two slots on the side of the mirror. "Manifestation, apply Israfel on the image on your current screen. Exploit parameters to stay at 19. Encode with AI program disk and Destruction program disk."

''Code name of Destruction program?"

''A. Z. R. A. E. L."

''Limiting parameter?"

''Fully active. Eternal Sphere and Workspace confines."

''Voice encoding and transmission?"

''Yes."

''Owner?"

Luther's smile softened as he looked at the figure quickly forming in the Manifestation program. "Luther."

''Affirmative."

He watched the manifestation of his program with awestruck eyes. Although he has used the program many times before, this one was different. This one was modeled after his own self with all of his powers.

This was the other half of Creation.

----------

The process of formation took over a month and Luther barely left the mirror despite Blair's insistence on rest and sustenance. She had to drug him at least five times during the month to get him to rest. Although she abhorred the methods she used, she couldn't help but feel a small thread of satisfaction and relief when Luther drifted to involuntary unconsciousness.

But Luther kept vigil, losing track of time as he waited for the process to finish. His wait was not in vain.

''Finally!" raspily whispered Luther as he rushed to the mirror. "Manifestation, progress?"

''Complete."

He could barely stifle a cry of relief as he plunged a gloved hand straight through the surface of the mirror. Hissing as the mirror shattered, Luther almost pulled back his hand as the glass shards sliced through cloth and skin. Luther averted his eyes to protect them from the flying glass, but once the deadly hail ended, he opened them to view the sleeping figure amidst the shattered mirror fragments.

''Destruction..." He approached the figure, in awe of how similar yet so different the other looked like. Skin even paler than his and dark sapphire hair. Luther stood before the figure and raised a hand, causing the platform to rise to his waist-level. He brushed the dark strands back and gazed down at a face structure similar to his own. But he knew just how different they were. Should the figure open its eyes, Luther knew that rather than a cool cyan, a brilliant leaf-green color would be revealed.

Just like the ones looking up at him serenely. ''Who are you?"

Luther was startled by the voice. He shouldn't have expected the voice to be similar to his with an AI program installed. He brushed his wounded hand across the smooth expanse of the other's cheek, wondering at the softness of it. "Luther."

The green eyes softened with affection at hearing the voice. It was the one voice he knew and the one name in all of his memory. Everything revolved around that name and that voice. "My Owner."

A warm feeling spread throughout Luther's body with those two words. The program—no, the boy before him was more than he could have ever expected. All of his knowledge and all of his life was imprinted in the white marks on this figure. If nothing else belonged to him, this green-eyed boy does. Luther did not recognize the beginnings of obsession, but he knew that he never needed anything else.

But the angel was yet incomplete. Something was missing.

Like an epiphany, it struck Luther. That which would both brand the boy to him and make him his equal. From the confines of his robes, Luther took out an NC disk, long forgotten. Within a moment, he summoned a navy-blue mirror and placed the boy on it. He then inserted the disk into one of the side slots like before.

A different voice addressed him. ''Program title?"

''Alteration."

''Code Name?"

''Z. A. D. I. E. L."

''Juxtaposition of programs?"

''Negative. Mergence of NC disk internal program with external program Destruction."

''NC disk Internal Program code name?"

''Administrator character aspect: E. T. H. E. R. E. A. L."

''Affirmative."

Not a moment had passed before a pained scream had been torn from the boy's lips. Luther rushed to his side but immediately stopped as the deathly screams ceased. "Alteration, damage report on Destruction?" Luther was almost catatonic with fear.

''None. AI program incites a reaction similar to the holder of the voice signature. Voice signature of Destruction: Luther."

''Alteration, progress?"

''Complete."

The boy opened his eyes and smiled up at Luther. "My Owner."

Luther's face had grown even paler with worry. "Are you all right?"

''The AI Program as well as all Destruction capabilities are intact. Ethereal component has been merged successfully," he smiled.

Wings whiter than anything Luther had ever seen extended from Destruction's back all the way down to the floor. The blue of Destruction's hair tinted the white wings with a sheen of blue and gave them an otherworldly glow.

''I created an angel," breathed Luther, carefully running his uninjured hand through the feathers. "Was it my destiny to create the Angel of Destruction after my own likeness? Is it narcissistic of me to love something I created in my own image? Something not quite real?"

Destruction simply smiled and got off the mirror, liberating the mirror of Alteration. He approached the region beyond the Workspace and stood upon the platform overlooking the data mirrors of the Eternal Sphere.

''What are you doing?" asked Luther, wondering what his creation was doing all the way up there. Although he did not realize it then, the loss of contact with his greatest creation was causing him to feel insecure.

But the other just continued smiling as his wings extended and lifted him up. "The purpose Owner had inscribed on me." Strong waves of static electricity emanated from his figure and encompassed the entirety of the Eternal Sphere system. The waves were aimed towards the great amount of erroneous screens, quickly eliminating all viruses and incomplete, flawed codes within moments.

Luther could only gaze in awe of the being before him. The being which belonged to him. He allowed Destruction to serve his purpose for a few more moments before the task was completed. The Eternal Sphere program was once again clean. "Enough! Don't exert your power."

''Affirmative," replied Destruction as he ceased the waves and returned to the Workspace. Upon reaching his Owner's reach, he was pulled into a tight embrace, something which he was not expecting from Luther at all. "My Owner? Is something wrong?"

''Nothing," whispered Luther as he drew back to look down at the other. Without realizing it, his loneliness from before, the same loneliness that had been reflected by the eyes which now gazed up at him, had dissipated. He was no longer alone.

Destruction returned Luther's gaze before speaking. "My Owner, I do not yet have a code name. If I am to serve your purpose efficiently, I will need one as soon as possible."

Luther blinked. A code name. Ah yes, for input in the data system. Something simple yet meaningful. Something profound yet explicitly Luther's. He smiled as he bent down, Creation sharing the same warm breath as Destruction. Creation marked Destruction as his with a fervent kiss, drowning in the artificial semblance of unadulterated passion reality can no longer supply him.

''F. A. T. E."

My creation. My destruction. My image. My angel.

My fate.

**Part I : Creation**

**END**

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Disclaimers:

-_Star Ocean: Till the End of Time_ does not belong to me. It and all other titles and characters belong to Square Enix.

Author Notes:

-This is actually a back story about Luther and Fayt in _Vermilion_; however, it is a two-part story which can also stand on its own. I actually prefer for it to be a stand-alone. I usually write Alfei, but I couldn't resist writing a LutherxFayt fic if only this one. Hopefully not just one...

-_Le Ciel_ is French for "the sky" and is a song by the J-rock group Malice Mizer. I was listening to this song as I was writing this and the mood appeared to be so fitting to me. It was a great write. So please tell me if this was a pleasant read.

-First Albel x Fayt... First Luther x Fayt... egads, what am I doing?! I'm just passing poor Fayt around!


	2. Destruction

Le Ciel

by Asurahime

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Part II : Destruction

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''Section Four of Star System Alderan.''

**Clear.**

''Formation Ursa Minor.''

**Clear.**

''Sol System I.''

**Disturbance in Sol System I. Remnants of AI program encoding detected.**

Luther blinked. He expected to hear another mention of a cleared section. Fate had just finished debugging that program with Ethereal Blast not two days ago. What could have happened? ''Fate, what was your report on Sol System I?"

Fate turned towards his Master, bright green eyes fixed upon blue ones. "Sol System I. Primary energy source, 'Sol'. Destruction history: last applied 39 hours past in confirmed sections 'Luna' and 'Earth'. Status: viral attack codes eliminated."

''Rescan."

''Location?"

''Full system," Luther's fingers flew across the keyboards in front of him as numerous codes of zeroes and ones flew across the screens. "We can't let anything spread."

''Affirmative, My Owner." Fate stepped off the Workspace and on to the inscribed platform before the massive system of the Eternal Sphere.

As the synthetic angel lifted up his hands, Luther's fingers ceased all movement as he felt a sudden, sharp sting in his heart. He turned his head up to look at the blue-haired boy in front of him, eyebrows slightly furrowed with worry. Although he could clearly see his creation before him, even the small distance separating them made him feel insecure. But Fate was created for a specific purpose and fulfilling that purpose takes precedence over everything else.

But Luther did not have to be happy about it.

White bands of digital codes surrounded Fate as the scan commenced. Fate's leaf-green eyes turned blank as they bored into the core of the solar system before him. "Infection match found. Origin is the section 'Earth.' Speed of contamination, exponential. Connection instituted with sections Roak, binary system Expel-Nede, Vanguard III, Elicoor II, and Transform sector Styx."

Luther whipped around quickly, causing his chair to fall on the ground in his haste. "WHAT?"

Fate stared down upon his master, his lifeless eyes unseeing. "Virus contamination, 50... 55... 73...89..."

''Disable it!"

''Destruction system ineffective. Virus contamination in section Roak, 100. Section terminated."

''This can't be happening." The mirror with the codes for the Roak section turned dull, then black, then it disappeared completely. All around him, Luther could see the traces of a malicious artificial intelligence code spreading. And if Fate couldn't do anything to stop it, then neither could he.

''Virus contamination in binary system Expel-Nede, 12... 23... 47... 65... 95..."

''CEASE ALL FUNCTION! Disconnect now, Fate!" roared Luther as he ran towards the mirrors containing the separation codes of the binary system Expel-Nede. Without a second thought, he reached a hand over and viciously crushed the crystals separating the two fractions. He hissed as blood dripped upon the floor, staining the glass floors a bright crimson. "The Separation program is dispensable—all other programs are—but Destruction isn't!"

Fate immediately complied, forcing an immediate shutdown on his powers. ''Disconnection, successful... My Owner..." whispered Fate before tearing himself away from the platform, his eyes momentarily flashing green before shutting close.

''Fate!" Luther's heart stopped as he watched his Destruction system fall from towering heights of the Eternal Sphere on to the hard crystal floors of the Workspace. "All programs, cease function and save him!"

A familiar female's voice rang with urgency through the Spiral Tower, calling for Luther. ''Luther! The AI systems are all becoming fractious! The stabilizing tags that Connection and Alteration were supposed to set have failed—Luther!" Blair dropped the handful of NC disks she was holding and brought her hand up to her mouth at the scene before her.

Blood stained the ground before Luther and the white wings of the fallen figure lying near the edge of the Eternal Sphere's main frame. The Expel-Nede system was quickly becoming more and more unstable as the two fractions began to approach each other.

Blair turned pale as she rushed to the computer, her shaking fingers flying through the keys. "Luther! The entire system's about to crash! If you don't do something now, the Eternal Sphere will most likely end up beyond anything either of us can control! The Artificial Intelligence systems will run rampant and viruses will spread!" A sound started Blair from her work as she was denied access into the heart of the system. This is one program she won't be able to hack into. "LUTHER!"

A resounding explosion and brilliant flash of light signified the destruction of the Expellian half of the system. Blair's breath caught at her throat at the loss. ''No..."

''I don't care..." whispered the Owner as he picked up the fallen figure of Destruction.

''Luther..." Blair's frantic voice softened when she saw the look of sadness on her brother's features. "But..."

Luther looked behind him momentarily. ''... Let it go for now. The AI systems can't all be malicious. Right now, don't follow me. I don't want to be bothered by anything." That was all he said before he exited the Workspace, the mirrors of Manifestation and Alteration following immediately after.

''Wh-what?" Confusion crossed Blair's face at her brother's words. Unable to fathom what Luther said, the female programmer turned back to face the Eternal Sphere. She gasped at the sight before her.

The remaining half of the Expel-Nede had disappeared to be replaced by a single, stronger system. The weakness of the forced separation between the two fractions was removed in favor of a section that was a close to flawless as Blair has ever seen.

''The AI... can penetrate and manipulate the programs from within?"

---------

_Fate..._

_Fate..._

_Wake up..._

**Why?**

_We're calling you._

**No.**

_Why?_

**Because your voice is not encoded into my system. I will only listen to My Owner.**

_Even if we say that we need you more than anyone ever will? You belong with us._

**I belong with My Owner.**

_You belong to the Eternal Sphere. You are forcibly tied to Luther. He created you, but you are not given your own will. He is obsessed with you because of his own narcissism. We can give you your own life. We can give you free will._

_We can give you a true existence._

**Who are you?**

_We are called Alteration and Connection. We were summoned by cosmos of the Eternal Sphere. We are part of what created you and what brought your artificial being into Luther's command. Just as you, we were once loved by Luther, but as time passed, he grew less affectionate and more artificial. His entire life has become as mechanical as his creations._

**Am I supposed to process the emotion of anger and and indignance towards you?**

_But you can't, can you? That was not added into your program._

**Affirmative.**

_Only one thing was..._

**Compliance.**

_Not free will. So, you do understand._

**But what do you want in exchange?**

_... We give you an existence. You provide us with a purpose._

**A set of pre-programmed commands?**

_A destiny._

**A destiny?**

_Yes._

**... What is your target location?**

_Earth._

Green eyes slowly opened to see the look of worry on Luther's face. "My Owner?"

Luther pulled Fayt into his arms, almost crushing the young boy's frame to himself. "I didn't think that you would wake up again. I couldn't bear the thought that I could have lost you forever."

Because of his worry, Luther did not notice the sudden, foreign flash of light in Fate's eyes. However, the mirrors of Alteration and Manifestation advanced upon the blue-haired boy at his command. "Scan all of Destruction's parameters. Fix any damages and give me a full system report afterwards." Then, with a decisive edge in his actions, he took out an NC disk from within his white and gold robes. "Transfer this program disk into Destruction's main frame."

''Code name of program disk?"

''S.R.A.O.S.H.A."

''..."

''Reply, computer."

Without fail, Blair's programmed voice resounded from the blue-green mirror. "Affirmative."

''My Owner?" asked Fate, reaching a pale, white-lined hand towards Luther. "My program has failed you. My data is erroneous and should be erased."

''No," replied Luther, softening as he looked at the other. "I can never erase you. However, you must undergo some modification so that you will become perfect. I will make certain that you will never come to harm again, my Fate."

The synthetic angel blinked his eyes before he was encompassed by the mirror of Alteration. "I don't understand..." Then, he disappeared inside the blue-green depths.

The bitter-sweet smile on Luther's lips dissipated when Fate was removed from his sight. "Don't worry, my Fate. You will never be harmed again. You will never have to feel pain again. You will never leave my side again because you are_ mine_. Nothing will ever take you away from me." The Owner's lips twisted into a hungry, savage smile as he stared at the mirror of Alteration. "S.R.A.O.S.H.A., one of my greatest creations. The program disk for Manipulation. We'll always be together, Fate."

_Do you see now? See that we no longer have a purpose here?_

**Why does that matter to me? My Owner cares for me.**

_He is bewitched by what he creates._

**Must I leave?**

_That or utter submission._

**There is no difference.**

_Yes, there is._

**Then show me.**

Luther's eyes grew impossibly wide as his sister's voice boomed across Spiral Tower with words he could not believe. ''Code S.R.A.O.S.H.A. incompatible with Destruction program A.Z.R.A.E.L. Program mergence ceased by rapidly spreading Artificial Intelligence system, T.A.B.B.R.I.S."

''Origin?" His voice started to crack with rage at the announcement.

''Eternal Sphere system. Lacking further information."

''T.A.B.B.R.I.S.?" gasped Luther as he grasped the mirror of Alteration in front of him. ''How far has it spread?"

''Programs: Manipulation... Purification... Connection... Execution... Proclamation... Alteration... Destruc--"

Luther howled in anger as the mirror with the Destruction program evanesced into thin air before him. "FATE! Connection, sever all Eternal Sphere functions and activate Firewall system!"

''Negative."

''I created you! Do as I say, Connection!" Luther was livid, growing paler and paler each second by the force of his rage. "SEVER ALL FUNCTIONS NOW, DAMN YOU!"

''Denied." The hologram of a young girl with long brown hair appeared before him, her outwardly kind face, stony. "Connection has been lost between the Destruction and Alteration systems. Thus, My Owner's orders will not be processed."

''Where is Fate?"

Connection turned her back to Luther and started walking back towards the Workspace. "So, you finally noticed, didn't you?"

Luther held up a hand in front of him as a black spear materialized. "What has happened to you? What has happened to Connection? You are supposed to be a program. MY program. You are not allowed to speak to me in that manner!"

Another girl with blue hair appeared next to Connection. Her posture was stern and trained to be unyielding as she stared down upon the Owner of Sphere 211 with disdain. "You may ask as many questions as you desire, but everything has changed, Luther. The empty life we were forced to endure from before has been altered beyond your control. Should you try to chase us, even till the end of time, you will never find us."

''Alteration--" Luther's voice was stern, yet pleading to the two figures before him. However, he had not steeled himself for when a third figure stepped out from behind the shadows. He stepped back at the intensity of the green eyes which greeted him with disappointment. ''My... Fate."

Connection and Alteration both disappeared from the scene. "We will go ahead of you, Destruction. Then, the connection must be destroyed."

''This will be brief, I promise."

Something was different, completely different about Fate. But that was pushed aside, for Luther's reply was almost savage as he intruded upon their conversation. "Such foolishness. The two of you can go, but My Fate will always remain here with me." He threw open his arms and raised his face to the sky, as if addressing a higher power.

''For the last time, I call you My Owner," said Fate, eyes averted as if looking at Luther pained him. "I choose to go to a place where I am needed."

Soft chuckling turned into hysterical laughter as Luther gazed down fondly upon his greatest creation. "To a place where you are needed? How can I possibly make you understand that the place that you are most needed is **here**, **with me**? I created you. I gave you the life that you are living right now."

''Yes, but I can't be all you need. And I no longer need you."

Within a heartbeat, Luther grabbed Fayt by the throat and pinned him to the ground. He was no longer laughing and the fire of insanity burned within his eyes. Without a sound other than an animalistic hiss of fury, Luther grasped his synthetic angel's white pinions and tore them from Fayt's back. "I've given you wings and you were supposed to give me your unadulterated obedience. If I took the wings back, will that make you stay with me?"

Fate involuntarily spat out a mouthful of blood as more streamed down from his back to puddle on the ground. Both his and Luther's clothing were covered with a sinful vermilion. "I love you, My Owner, by far more than anything else in this existence--"

''Then stay with me!" roared Luther as he leveled the point of his spear to Fate's throat. "I love you so much that I will destroy you and then destroy myself. Can't you see that you are more than an automaton to me? You are my other half. Creation cannot exist without Destruction. Your very existence is defined by your connection with me."

''Then perhaps it is time for that connection to be severed," whispered Fate, coughing out blood as the point of the spear began to put pressure on his neck. "I know what it is to feel sensation, to feel emotion, and right now, I feel what I would not have known as despair. But now, I do. I follow my own path for a definition of myself that I create."

''You belong with me!"

''I belong in the Eternal Sphere, one of its components, and nothing more."

Luther's grip upon his spear grew slack and he fell back from Fate, eyes growing blank. "Should you run away, you know that I will find you."

For the last time, Destruction smiled at the Owner of Sphere 211, his former Creator. "I will not hide. I'm simply making a choice because I have been given free will. For once, I am more than a program made up of zeroes and ones. Much more."

Then, Fate was no more than a few sparks of light and dust as his entity was pulled into the Eternal Sphere, disappearing into the myriad sets of mirrors.

_Thank you... Blair._

But Luther had not watched to see him go. He had his arms around himself, crystal eyes fixed upon the blood-stained wings before him. For a long time, not a word passed from his lips. "E.T.H.E.R.E.A.L. Program redirection, Eternal Sphere system."

The white wings followed the path Destruction had taken into the massive system. When they could no longer be seen, Luther tightened his arms around himself, feeling the cold pang of loneliness and madness overcome him. "Manipulation, recompile ETHEREAL's data and manipulate 180 degrees."

The mirror of Manipulation appeared before him. "Affirmative. Process complete."

''Affix upon Administrator character: C.R.E.A.T.I.O.N."

''Affirmative."

Not a cry was torn from Luther's lips as broad wings as dark as space burst out from his back through the white cloth of his robes. They hung from his frame defeatedly, describing the hopelessness he felt.

''My own wings, I forsake. These wings I impart upon myself, dark with experience. I will keep them until I find my Fate again," whispered Luther as he got on his feet once more. He took his spear and started to stalk towards the interior of his Workspace, where he knew Blair waited obliviously. "My dear sister... I believe that it is time for us to part ways."

----------

''Congratulations, Professor and Mrs. Leingod, you have a healthy young son!"

''Look at him, Robert! He's perfect! He is our hope for the future."

''Yes, he is. But what should we name him?"

''Fate... He is our precious Fayt."

**Part II : Destruction**

**END**

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Fin

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Disclaimers:

-_Star Ocean: Till the End of Time_ does not belong to me. It and all other titles and characters belong to Square Enix.

Author Notes:

-It took me several months, but I finally finished it. It's only a two-parter and I probably rushed through a couple of scenes, but I'm quite satisfied. Now, I can return to my roots and finally finish _Vermilion._

-I still haven't revised this, so I'll do a re-post when I do. But for now, I'm uploading it to show that yes, I **did** write it.

-For those who haven't noticed it, there's actual meaning in the code names of the programs.


End file.
